News briefs for Sept. 23, 2002

Monday, Sept. 23, 2002 | 9:48 a.m.

ATV rider dies in desert crash

A man killed Saturday when he lost control of an all-terrain vehicle and drove into a gully has been identified as a 40-year-old Las Vegas man.

D'andre Branch, died about 6:45 p.m. after crashing about 10 miles southeast of Hollywood Boulevard and Vegas Valley Drive, Metro Police said.

It appears high speed is a factor in the accident. The accident is the 100th fatal traffic collision in Metro's jurisdiction this year.

L.A. driver charged in I-15 death

A Los Angeles man was charged with drunken driving resulting in death after a Sunday morning accident on Interstate 15 killed the passenger in his car.

The accident happened about 8:15 a.m. on northbound I-15 near the Blue Diamond Road exit, Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Jim Olschlager said.

"We had a report of reckless driving on southbound I-15 near Primm, and we found them about 15 minutes later on the northbound side of the road," Olschlager said.

The driver of the car, Douglas Roman, and the passenger, whose name has not yet been released by the Clark County coroner, had finished visiting Las Vegas and where heading home, Olschlager said.

The pair apparently got confused about what direction to head in, and turned around to head north. At one point the passenger reportedly grabbed the wheel, causing the car to swerve off the freeway, crash through a sign and stop about 70 feet out in the desert, Olschlager said.

When police arrived they found that Roman had driven the car back up to the side of I-15, and was changing a flat tire. The passenger was already dead.

Both men appeared to be drunk at the time of the accident, Olschlager said.

Roman also faces charges of failing to maintain a traffic lane, and driving with an open container. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center.

Tractor-trailer runs over driver

A 29-year-old truck driver from Fayette, Iowa, died Sunday after being run over at a Las Vegas truck stop, apparently after he either fell down or passed out in the parking lot, Metro Police said.

Police said alcohol might have been a factor in the accident that killed Arjay John Paulson.

Paulson was run over by a tractor-trailer about 3:30 a.m. in the Travel America Truck Stop at Blue Diamond and Industrial roads, police said.

Evidence from the scene and witnesses indicated the victim either fell down or passed out next to his tractor-trailer. A tractor-trailer parked next to Paulson's later began to leave the parking lot and ran over him, police said.

The tractor-trailer drove off, and police believe that the driver didn't realize he had hit anyone.

The victim was taken to University Medical Center where he died shortly after emergency surgery, police said.

Police are asking anyone with information about the accident or the tractor-trailer to call Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Grant to help special ed teachers

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has won a federal grant to combat the state's shortage of special education teachers.

The $632,000 Education Department award will improve alternate licensure programs for special education teachers. Alternative licensure programs offer people who don't hold degrees in education a chance to change careers and become teachers.

The funds will give teachers learning tools to help with classroom techniques for teaching special education students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

"Right now, so many of the teachers are 'flying solo' without some of the educational tools they need for teaching special education students," said Kyle Higgins, UNLV's project director and professor of special education.

Higgins said the funds will allow teachers-in-training to have 24-hour access to learning tools.

The program will partner with the Clark County School District and eventually expand to other universities throughout the country.

Berman named to ethics panel

Assemblywoman Merle Berman, R-Las Vegas, defeated in the primary election, received help from a member of the rival Democratic Party to secure a seat on the state Ethics Commission.

Berman replaces James Rogers of Las Vegas, who resigned.

The appointment must be made by the Legislative Commission. Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, nominated Berman. Titus noted that the other three legislative appointments to the Ethics Commission were all men, attorneys and all from Northern Nevada.

Berman's appointment, Titus said, "would round out the commission."

Berman was defeated in the GOP primary election for Assembly District 2 by Garn Mabey, 52.8 percent to 47.2 percent.